Phonograph record player control



Jan. 2, 1951 J. E; vlsTAlN, JR

` PHONOGRAPH RECORD PLAYER CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 19, 1947 /NI/ENTOR JAMES E. VISTA/N Jl?. HY

H/s Arron/vir Jan. 2, 1951 J. E. vlsTAlN, JR

PHONOGRAPH RECORD PLAYER CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1947 Rm 0W. TA y ww we. ,5 E M Mm H/S ATTRNEY Jan. 2, 1951- J. E. vlsTAlN, JR 2,536,477

PHONOORAPH RECORD PLAYER CONTROL Filed Nov. 19, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

JAMES E V/STA//V JR.

H/S ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1.951

`Jannes Vista, Jr., Chicafgo, Ill., assiglni to Chicago, Ill., :a corporai Admiral Corporation 'tion of `Delaware application November 19, 19217, Serial No. "796,933

2 Claims. l

'This 'invention relates to phonograph 'record player controls and in particular to alcun-trol by the operation of which a record player is adapted to be Astarted and/or stopped automatically. More especially, the ecn-trol is adapted to :stop theope-ration of the record player after-one or more records, with 'which it has been loaded, have been reproduced.

The invention .may be advantageously incorporated in a record pla'yer Lof the `so-called auto matic variety, one form ofwhieh is `disclosed `in the -copending application of George E. Redneld, S. N. 776,264, 'iiled September 126, T947. In'lthe player or said applicant, a stack of records vare supported at 'their peripherles by a side support and .at their center holes by -a shouldered spindle, centrally of a turntable- The records rare 'sustained by the spindle and are dropped one at a time, each ysuccessive bottom :record of the 'stack being guided tothe turntable by 'the spindle after it has been dislodged lfrom ltssupports by suitable ejector mechanism.

- the present record player, 'provision is con'- templated for rso mounting the spindle that it is slid'able `axially in Vits supports, between predeeither of two positions, one olf which, its normal position, itis adapted to occupy when ffree of 'the weight of records while the weight of but one record resting on the shoulder of the spindle is adapted to slide the spindle to the other position. Some instrumentality which is suitable for in terruptin-g the transfer of motive ,force from its source` to drvable ymechansm `:of the .record player is employed, and advantage ifs taken of the position to which the spindle is displaceable f'o'r controlling said instrumentality. Provision is also made for playing a Ai-nal record after the spindle has been relieved of its weight, the ipro vision involving,r time-delay .mechanism due to which the spindle remains inthe position it 'ocou pies during playing of previous records of the stack and until after reproduction "of `the final record.

i Although record players which :are Ieap'acltated to automatically cease operation once playing of a .final record has been discontinued, are known to the phonograph art, 'the mechansm'sadop'ted, for providing the record players with this 'feature, have been Vintricate and expensive,v since they usually involved a lconsiderable addition 4of Special 'parts which arefsubject to wear `or maladjustment.

4:En `che present invention, but little `change 'in the spindle, trom Espiinzlles lof known construction.

is involved, in order 'that -said spindle may be capa-citano to slide axially 4within predetermined limits and thereby `provide `for discontinuance of the -iecord -players 'operation when A'a final record, usually ol a 'group of the same, has been repro"- duc'ed. Furthermore, the parts VEAthat aire faddltion-'ally necessary, to add the con-trol lfea-ture to la record player, fare tew in number, simple of leciti` struction and their interrelfationship so novel that 'the control adds little to the cost omainu ia'eturfe of fa reco'rd player.

@their advantages off the invention will be ap. parent from the following specication when considered in eofn'iunctiohl-with the accompanying drawings in which: f f

Fig. -l is a view, partly diag'fa'minatic and partly "a 'vertical 'Setio taken approximately 0n line l-#l of Fie. l2;

Fig. 2 'is a vf-raglhetal"y bottom plan view -f invention; and

33 is a View `of elements lo'f the invention; in ,pe-repetitive, as viewed from below the level of the elements Y v illustration, A`is one embodiment ofrthe l-"n-fvention, 'the `refererlce character i4 is used to Ade'- nete the emessi-S plateor motor boaraof 'an autofrn'atic record player. vThe plate 2l includes afivll or depression 6 to accommodate a turntable i having a hubl il horizontal bottom wall 9 'of the Iw'ellil iis apertured at l1 while a mountin member l2, conveniently coup1ed to the wall e at the apertured regioni, also includes an up-A stan'ding sleeve portion t3 on which the hub 84's' rotatably journaled. Inorder to withstand axial downward thrust of the `hub 8, and rs'tll provide ease orrotation "for the turntable, a ball bearingV hi is employed, :which bearing is sandwiched be tween suitable anti-vibration washers i6, one ofv which rests against a bottom horizontal wall fil betweenth-e nue s ena bearing.

The turntable `1 is rotated by a motor 11B, indivcate-a uragranimatieany, drlvin'giy coupled tyf meehanisfn, not shown, to I'said turntable.

The sleeve l? provides support for a spindle T39, which v"spindle has extending upwardly thereof, 'a

portion 2i which also extends beyond a shoulder 2a upon which the records of a stack a are adapted to rest after they have been disposed overthe portion al. The records R are further' 3 Willard Faulkner, Ser. No. 493,242, now Patent No. 2,498,333, issued February 21, 1950. Cooperatively associated with the spindle I9 is an ejector head 24, the construction of which Iwill not be fully described since it is fully dealt with in the before mentioned application of George E. Redfield. In view of this, however, it is timely to state that the ejector head includes a horizontal plate 26 which is shiftable toward and away from the spindle I9, and which is spaced from the chassis plate 4 by a vertical column 21. The reckords R, at their circumferential edges, are adapted to be pressed against the plate 26 by a hold-down lever 28 and the bottom member of the stack R is intermittently displaced tothe right by a push plate 29 to dislodge said bottom member from the support of both plate 26 and shoulder 22, whereupon the dislodged record is' guided to the turn-I table 1 by the spindle I9.

Means to oscillate the push plate 29 is also in accordance with the construction disclosed in the application of George E. Redfield, previously referred to. Briefly, the means for oscillating the push plate includes a slotted lug 32, on the push plate 29, which is operably coupled to a lever 33 pivotedto the plate 9, by a link 34 and lever 36. The lever 33 `bears arfollower 31 which is constantly pressed against a cam 38 by a tension spring 39, thereby urging a pin 4I carried by the cam, Fig. 2, againsta stop 42 on a latch lever 43. At'the same time, the spring 39 holds the push plate 29 in retracted position; that is, to the left (Fig. 1).

When a trigger 44 is swung, manually or automatically, about a pivot 46 a tension spring 41 frees the stop 42 from engagement with the pin 4I long enough for the pin to be carried past the stop, due to the force of spring 39. Since a shaft 48 rigidly couples the cam `38 to a friction wheel 49 having a notched periphery, and the consequent rotation imparted to the friction wheel by spring 39 is adequate to provide driving engagement between the constantly drivenhub 8 and friction wheel the cam is rotated through a complete revolution. In yso rotating, the cam 38 moves a tonearm manipulating slider I against forceof a spring, not shown, by engaging a fol# lower 52 on the slider. In the course of reciprocation ofthe follower 52, the spring 41 returns the latch lever 43 to its normal position, the operation involving engagement of an extension ,'53, of the latch lever 43, with the follower 52. After the pin 4I has been carried through its orbit, by

Y `cam sa, it again strikes the stop 42, the cam thus completing a cycle of operation.

, The spindle I9 is slidable axially within limits and restrained from rotation. That this may be carried into eiect, the spindle is provided with a portion for sliding engagement in the sleeve I3 which is preferably of slightly greater diameter .as indicated at 54. The portion 54 terminates in `ial shoulder 51 adapted to abut the bottom wall I1` of bearing I2, thereby limiting downwardmove- .mentof the spindle. The end of the spindle is provided ywith a flattened portion 56 which extends through the wall I1, of the spindle is limited by a pin or clip 58 carried by the flattened portion of the spindle below and spaced from the wall I1 when the shoulder 51 is in abutment with the wall. The flattened portion .of the spindle extends through the Vwall I1 and is in intimate contact with at surfaces 59 defining the walls of an aperture 6I in vthe wall I1 which prevents rotation of the spindle.

Means by which the spindle 191s normally held nism is employed to provide for this.

Upward movement n in an elevated position when no records are on the spindle; that is, in a position wherein the clip 58 abuts the Wall I1, is provided; To thus support the spindle i9, I provide a latch lever 62 which is adapted to roos about a substantially horizontal axis provided by a pivot 63 carried on a 'bracket 64, adjacent the mounting member I2, by which the latch lever is supported from the plate 9. From the region o itspivotal support, the lever 62 curves downwardly toward the right and is provided with a horizontal portion e5 (rig. 3), that extends under the portion 56V of the spindle I9 and on which the spindle is adapted to rest. A tension spring t1, anchored to the plate 9 and the lever 62 biases said lever anticlockwise about its pivot 63. The biasing force of spring 51 is adequate to hold the weight of the spindle in an upward position in which the pin 58 is pressed against the wall l1 oi' the bearing I2. When, however, but a single 11i-inch record is placed on lthe spindle, the weight of the record is sufcient to stretch the spring 61 and move the spindle to its lower position (Fig. 1).

Advantage is taken of the position to which the latch lever 32 is moved, to control operation of 'the record player. The horizontal portion lili of the latch lever includes a laterally extending finger 68 that extends in operative relation to a switch 69. The switch 69 is supported from the plate 9 by a bracket 1I and is connected in series with the motor I8. The switch is open when the spindle is in a raised position. The switch 69, asillustrated, includes contacts 12 and 13, one of which is adapted to be pressed against the other by the finger 66 to close the circuit and thereby provide for operation of the motor. A-mercury switch adapted to be operated by movement of the lever 62 is also contemplated in place of that illustrated. As long as one or `more records are supported on the shoulder 22 of the spindle, the lever, 62 is in its lower position, with the arm 68 engaging the upper Contact carrying arm holding Ythe switch closed. If desired, the arm 68 may carry a piece of insulation material on its underside for engagement with the switch. Furthermore, it is quite Within the purview of my invention to have the arm 68 carry the contact and be a part of the switch 69.

l Means is also employed to delay upward movement of the spindle I9, after the last record to remain on the shoulder 22 has been dropped to the turntable so that the opening of the circuit will not take place before the record has been played. Accordingly, delay or time delay mecha-f The delay mechanism includes a trigger lever 14 adapted to swing about a pivot 16, adjacentvthe Vcam 38,- on the plate 9. The cam 38 carries a pin 11 eX- tending from one of its sides, and the lever 14 extends into the course ythat the pin 11 is adaptedv to be carried through during a cycle of rotation of the cani.

I n detail, the operation of the invention is as.`

follows: Assuming the spindle I9 is in an upward position records of a group R, forexample, are threads over the portion 2| ofthe spindle so that It therefore follows that every timethe c am 38 revolves the pin 11 engages the lever.

In orderthat this may be operatively.

they are supported at their center on the shoulder 22 and at the edges on the plate 2B of the ejector mechanism. Since the weight of the records is adequate t0 overcome the resistance of spring 61, the spindle is displaced to its downward position upon which the latch lever 62 is rocked clockwise. The arm 6B thereby closes the switch te which rovides for flow of electric current from a suitable source available over wires 86 and 3l to the motor I3 which then starts. Ii the tone arm is in playing position, i. e., in a position directly below the sound grooves of the records R, it will be necessary to start the cam t8 rotating by manually rocking the trigger lever 14. The latter operation causes push plate 29 to dislodge a record from its supports from which the record drops to the turntable where it is played. Thereafter the reproducer mechanism and ejector mechanism operate automatically in effective sequence until the last record of the stack R has been dropped to the turntable. In the meantime, the tooth 8l is disengaged from the lug "i9 by the pin 11 on the cam 3S every time the cam makes a revolution. The tooth 8| is enabled to readily re-engage the lug, however, as long as there is a record exerting downward force on the spindle I9. When the nal record has been transferred to the turntable suicient downward pressure on the spindle, to rock lever ($2 clockwise, is removed. The spring 6l is unable to immediately rock lever 62 Counterclcckwise, however, because of the holding engagement between tooth Si and lug l1. It is not until the tone arm of the record player reaches the terminal groove of the nal record which gives rise to rotation of cam 58, as previously described, that the force tension spring 61 becomes effective for rocking the lever 62 counter clockwise, and this is occasioned by momentary disengagement of tooth 8| from lug 19 and pin 11 hits lever 14. The spindle then is displaced to its upward position, with consequent opening of switch 69.

Having thus described my invention in an embodiment thereof, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an automatic record player having a base, a turntable rotatably mounted on said base and a motor in driving engagement with said turntable; means to stop said motor after the playing of the last record of a stack comprising a, spindle slidably mounted in said base centrally of said turntable, stop means on said spindle to define l electrical circuit with said motor mounted on said base, an arm on said latch means adapted to engage said switch means to close said circuit when said latch means is in its lower position, trigger means pivotally mounted on said base .having a hook part formed to engage said latch means to hold it in its lower position, biasing means engaging said trigger means to urge it normally to its holding engagement with said latch means, and cam means movably mounted on said base having a part thereon located to engage said trigger means and thereby to release it from its holding engagement with said latch means, said cam means being moved during the change cycle of said record player.

2. In an automatic record player having a base, a turntable rotatably mounted on said base, a motor in driving engagement with said turntable and operating means for said player driven by said motor; means to stop said motor after the playing of the last record of a stack comprising a spindle slidably mounted in said base centrally of said turntable, a stop means on said spindle to denne the limits of its slidable movement, latch means pivotally mounted on said base having a part extending beneath said spindle in position to be engaged thereby, resilient means engaged between said latch means and said base to urge said part of said latch means upward and thereby hold said spindle in its upward position when unloaded, said resilient means being of such strength that a single record on saidl spindle will move said spindle to its lower position, switch means in electrical circuit with said motor mount ed on said base, an arm on said latch means adapted to engage said switch means to close said circuit when said latch means is in its lower position, trigger means pivotally mounted on said base being formed t0 engage said latch means to hold it in its lower position, biasing means engaging said trigger means to urge it normally to its holding engagement with said latch means, and cam means movably mounted on said base and moved by said operating means, said cam` means having a part thereon located to engage said trigger means and thereby to release it from its holding engagement with said latch means in timed relation to Said operating means so that said trigger means is tripped before the record is changed.

JAMES E. VISTAIN, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,331,383 Faulknet Oct, 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 459,208 Great Britain Jan. 4, 1937 71,080 Norway Oct. 7, 1946 

